March has simply flown by. I was able to teach and lecture in some beautiful spots, meet some wonderful people and sew with my local peeps.

I also launched my Medallioned Magic Numbers Workshop Series. It was fun to feed off of everyone’s excitement over our first technique and blocks we played with, what I call Improv Stellar Stars. Some stuck with the Stellar block motif and others diverged. Some embraced favorite color ways or went scrappy like me.

Unlike other Medallion style quilts we’re not going to be growing our’s out from the center and systematically sewing them from there.

Since Magic Number Blocks (see tutorial here) automatically fit together for flexibility in design and construction we will be creating the parts and moving them around to see what other shapes and designs we can create. Once we are happy with our design layout we’ll construct our top. It will be a surprise to see what ends up in the center I guess.

We’ll be creating borders in our next session as well as adding another class to accommodate the wait list.

But what I’m here to show you today is my Night Owl Quilt.

At one of my lectures this week I got a bunch of questions from an attendee about my Night Owl Quilt. Typically I can send someone the link from my “Quilts” page where I post all of my finishes when they want photos.

Night Owl Quilt was MIA from that page.

So as I ran out the door for Roan’s field trip I thought to grab it and my camera for photos on the morning ferry commute and make use of my minions.

The design is a pattern called Supernova that is published in our book Quilting Modern.

I think quilters are drawn to reproducing this quilt pattern due to its simplicity of technique and construction. I come across its remake online more than any other quilt in the book.

The softness quality is exactly balanced for me on this quilt. Soft colors, soft Essex, wool batting, Osnaburgh on the back, and just enough density of an organic quilting pattern all add up to perfect.

The only thing I wish I would have added are the spin-offs into the background. There’s always something;)

I really love how the design allows you to play with just about any fabrics you’re in love with, including novelty if that’s your thing. I’ve always been drawn to this Alexander Henry owl print and used it as my starting point, layered fabrics from stash as I built out.

Quilting swirls=Starry Night.

I love these colors. For some reason I’m smitten with the binding pick on this one. Something about the small scale tone on tone and the color of this fabric attracts me to hoarding it. You can try to find it, but I’m pretty sure I bought it all so you couldn’t;)

If anyone has suggestions of a graphic designer that does logos I’m in the market. Please only someone that has a real business, with a questionnaire to get us on the same page with design and fresh looking portfolio;)

I’ve had a very genuine desire since the beginning of the year to clean up and clear out projects. A noticeable dent has been made in the pile and though there is still plenty of the unfinished, the process has been a good steady pace. Having quilts at each stage of the making process allows my attention to wander to what ever is in the rotation because it ALL needs to get done.

And bloody hell, Somewhat Circular Hex is D-O-N-E!

All inspired by the Alexander Henry Kokeshi doll fabric, then onto the color way this little Kokeshi doll/bank sported and certainly the Japanese art that I grew up with.

I love how the Essex background forms another Hexagon. Let’s pretend I planned that;)

I’m sticking with the use what you have stashed when it comes to backings program. Simple Simon on this one.

It held the diamond grid quilting texture well, as did the Essex on the front.

My seam widths annoyed me enough that I finally took action and had my Juki walking foot replaced. Juki is sitting on a quilting goldmine if they would step up and add all the measurement markers and width to their walking foot that Bernina has in my opinion.

Well and crap, then this happened;) But starting new projects is part of the process. You can see the other hexagons by machine I’ve done here and here.

Years ago I stumbled across Denyse Schmidt’s first book and immediately made precise cardboard templates to duplicate her patterns like my mom taught me. It only took the piecing of a single block to realize I could have accomplished the task in a few moments (not to mention all those templates), but it was truly a launching pad into improvisational quilting for me and I’m sure I’m not alone.

The thing is, I was all ambitious with my cutting and had a second quilt cut out before I even started the piecing the first. I’m efficient (or not) like that;) That first quilt was gifted. My lack of knowledge in regards to quilting density means it is likely falling apart, but as long as it was loved and used I don’t care.

I finally finished that second quilt! It now lives with my brother and sister-in-law in South Lake Tahoe and no, of course I never got a photo of the full quilt.

There’s a fabric mix party going on here to add some additional blocks to this king size mamma jamma. Mostly we have Carolina Chambrays (which Robert Kaufman came out with again), but there are also some other textural solids added. The clouds are an old Kaffe Fasset.

I brought all the blocks to size with Essex linen. The drape of this quilt is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Sandie helped me with the quilting on her long arm. Sorry, but I am NOT quilting a king size on my home machine (not even straight lines), I don’t know where I would even baste it without starting to call it bad names or needing my weight in beer. If you are one of those ambitious people, I bow down to you.

Flannel, I love you so. You are my go-to backing when I look for a quilt to pull up over me. This Anna Maria Horner flannel paired with the Essex on the front make a happy pair.

Blue it is for the binding, because it is what I had.

Ok, sorry, that’s a lot of photos for not even having a full shot of the bloody quilt. I swear, I’m working on my blogging goal, but not making it. Consider yourself lucky, you have more time to get things done the less time you spend with me.

I’m hoping next week to have some (exciting to me) news to share. No, I’m not writing another book, and no, not pregnant;)

This quilt by Amy of Badskirt did just that. So simple in design, but I love (and had) most of the fabrics. Just needed enough substituted and added to call it my own.

And while you are bothering to cut fabrics, why not just make two quilts, eh?

I will not lie, it took me a load of fabric elimination to come up with the boy one. The girl combo came much easier. My pile of toss out squares grew and are now destine for a scrappy charm quilt all their own at a later date.

I think sometimes I am so anxious to move onto the next new idea in my head that I cast aside the simple love of a square. My Modern Charm Class gave me the perfect excuse.

I needed these both as class samples soon and made a visit to my friend Sandie’s for a date with her and her long-arm. We originally planned on placing them side-by-side so I could quilt both at once, but decided they each needed their own quilted personality.

The girl one got what I call “happy clouds.”

The boy got a spiraling circle.

You can see the quilting a little better from the back. I pieced in some leftover squares to bring the backs to the square size.

The bindings are divine. I love to cut into something waiting patiently in my stash.

The only fabric I was in need of was a few squares of the pink vans, so I called in to one of my peeps. Thanks Amber for the vans, but mostly it was really fun to finally meet you! xo

Quilt top, batting, and a backing…baste, quilt, and bind! Learn the essential basics of finishing a quilt without piecing a thing! Create a simple crisp modern baby quilt while learning the process. Quilting designs with a walking foot will be a covered. Walking foot required.

First, the idea became a pillow when the Hope Valley line came out. I used Joelle Hoverson’s technique for her Little Bits quilt. I designed it by stacking the blocks and liked the effect so much that I started a quilt. It got pushed aside with the book quilts taking front stage.

My favorite quilts of the year are in the book, or not yet finished, but Split Decision is up there.

As I spread it out fresh from the dryer, I was in love. It went straight to the shop for a class sample, but I’ll look forward to the day when I can lounge under it.

Especially because of its buttery flannel back.

I framed it out with the pink for binding.

I think the loops make it fun.

I’m hoping next year with the book likely being on the shelves to have a real reason to go to market.

I see lavender loops and I like them! Right out of the wash and up for photos. Only wish it was a brighter day in Seattle.

I didn’t want to remove Split Decision from my home, but I dropped it off as a class sample today. It’s my favorite quilt to date besides a few in the book.

Wanna know a secret?

I was a free-motion quilting virgin until this quilt and now I have a new addiction. Since finishing this one I have three baby quilts under my belt. Can’t stop. Though my first love will be a straight line F-O-R-E-V-E-R.

Let’s back up, you don’t want to look at those loop’s stitch length too close.

The backing isn’t Alexander Henry. So if it isn’t Alexander Henry than it must be flannel in the quilting world of Katie.

Right?

Knew the Folksy Flannel was it when I saw it on sale on Sew Mama Sew. I loved the weight of it as I sat under it and stitched on the binding.

In fact, if anyone has a yard of the Hope Valley I used for binding I’m in the market. I think I wanna make another just like it for my bed. Do you think my husband will repaint the bedroom walls AGAIN?